Caption: A static display of the new flame-resistant variant (FRV) coveralls is on exhibition in U.S. Fleet Forces Command headquarters building at Naval Support Activity Norfolk. The FRV coveralls are scheduled for distribution to the fleet towards the new year. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rafael Martie/Released)

U.S. Navy Invests in Coveralls That Won’t Burst Into Flames

A static display of the new flame-resistant variant (FRV) coveralls is on exhibition in the U.S. Fleet Forces Command headquarters building at Naval Support Activity Norfolk. The FRV coveralls are scheduled for distribution to the fleet towards the new year. Photo: U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rafael Martie/Released

The U.S. Navy has decided it’s finally time to get sailors new shipboard coveralls that won’t burst into flames and melt with a touch of a single match.

“Our sailors’ safety is our primary concern here,” said Adm. Bill Gortney, head of Fleet Forces Command. “If you’re onboard a ship and a fire breaks out, you rush to that scene, you escape that scene or you’re assisting a shipmate in whatever you’re wearing. And so this fills in that particular need.”

Apparently that need was present in 1996 when the current coveralls were first put in play, but the high flammability of the garment was only discovered last year. The Navy hasn’t said what took so long for the discovery, but Navy tests revealed that they “burn robustly until completely consumed” and that the nylon fibers melt and drip, burning the wearer further.

The Navy released this video at the time:

By contrast, the new coveralls, made of 100 percent cotton with a fire-resistant coating, can easily handle a big ball of flames and self-extinguish with just a trace of smoke, according to tests.

At the cost of about $60-$75, the new coveralls — which will begin to ship in December — are only a temporary measure. They’ll be used for the next few years while the Navy develops a more advanced coverall intended to protect sailors against fire and other dangerous conditions while also producing less lint.